Many modern vehicles, such as aircraft, are equipped with a wide variety of electrical and computing systems that monitor and, in some instances, control various operational aspects of the aircraft. One of the tasks often performed by these systems is to gather information from various instruments, such as a compass and an altimeter, and display the information on single display device, such as a primary flight display (PFD).
PFDs are also often used to display, typically in a perspective view, the terrain over which the aircraft is flying, including the locations of various landmarks, such as landing strips. When combined with recent advances in satellite imaging and Global Position Systems (GPS), it is possible for modern computer systems to display the terrain on the PFD with a relatively high level of detail, including three-dimensional contouring. In situations where a pilot, or other user, is trying to navigate the aircraft by viewing only the PFD (e.g., in severe weather or in a vehicle without windows), the movement, spacing, and size of the contours shown on the terrain give the pilot an indication of the altitude and speed of the aircraft. As such, the contours assist the pilot in performing various maneuvers, such as landing.
However, the process of having new equipment approved by aviation regulatory authorities often takes years. As a result, aircraft are often equipped with computer equipment that, although having been proven to be safe, lacks state-of-the-art processing performance or computing resources. Therefore, in order to save system resources, PFDs in many modern aircraft only display the terrain as a flat, planar object. Because of the lack of contouring, it is difficult for the pilot to get a sense of the altitude and/or speed (or changes in the altitude and/or speed) of the aircraft if he or she is only viewing the PFD.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a system and method for indicating a position of an aircraft to a user of the aircraft through an onboard display device. In addition, it is desirable to provide such a system that can provide such an indication while conserving the resources of the onboard avionics system. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.